Arab family member of Gaza hostage confronts Palestinian ambassador at UN

"Why did they kidnap my family? What crime did they commit that Hamas kidnapped them? They have been in the tunnels for 5 months, and for what?"

MARCH 12, 2024 02:53

Updated: MARCH 12, 2024 15:39

Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations is confronted by Ali Ziadna at the closing of the United Nations Security Council on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, at UN headquarters in New York, U.S., March 11, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/DAVID 'DEE' DELGADO) — Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations is confronted by Ali Ziadna at the closing of the United Nations Security Council on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, at UN headquarters in New York, U.S., March 11, 2024.

(photo credit: REUTERS/DAVID 'DEE' DELGADO)

Israeli Arab Ali Ziadna, who has family members held hostage in Gaza, confronted Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour on Monday after the UNSC debate on sexual violence committed by Hamas, and criticized him for allowing his family members and other fellow Muslims to wallow in Hamas captivity, according to a video posted on X.

Israeli Bedouin citizen confronts Palestinian ambassador at #UNSC asking why Hamas kidnapped his family, demanding their release.The ambassador tries in return to gaslight him into thinking he's being exploited and insensitive to Gazan suffering.Credit @SuleimanMas1 pic.twitter.com/U7NHMB7DLm
— Ohad ✡️ اوهاد ✡️ אהד (@MOhadIsrael) March 12, 2024

Ziadna was part of a delegation of family members of hostages in Gaza, that accompanied Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan to a UNSC debate over the recently submitted UN report on sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7.

The debate was held in the UN building in Manhattan, which can be seen in the background of the video.

The dialogue between the two is in Arabic, however, multiple accounts on X have posted the video with roughly similar translations of what was being said.

Israel Katz, Foreign Minister to the United Nations points at family members of hostages in the audience during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, at U.N. headquarters in New York, US March 11, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/DAVID 'DEE' DELGADO)

Ziadna told Mansour, "Why did they kidnap my family? What crime did they commit that Hamas kidnapped them? They have been in the tunnels for 5 months, and for what? On what basis? They returned the Thai workers without a deal and the Muslims who are like me and you are left in the tunnels hungry, in pain, and naked...".

The Palestinian ambassador replied to him: "Remember your Muslim brothers and sisters who died in Gaza, 30 thousand... and 75 thousand (wounded) and the destruction in Gaza. We are against harming any citizen, think of the civilians who have been harmed, and show solidarity with them. Don't let [Israel] take advantage of you, those who kill the Palestinians will take advantage of you."

Foreign Minister Katz tells UN to do more about Hamas

At the debate itself, Katz slammed the organization for not doing enough against Hamas and demanded that they designate Hamas as a terror organization and do more to pressure it to release the remaining 134 hostages.

“For too long the UN has been silent on Hamas actions,” Katz said. “The UN never condemned nor disapproved these Hamas brutal crimes.”